Masters betting guide: Sergio tempts at 5/1 if Spieth, Rose falter
I love a good shootout. Especially when it involves two giants of the European game.
What a final day we have in prospect at Augusta National. Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia going head-to-head in the last group and Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth – among others – nipping at their heels.
Given I tipped Jordan Spieth to get a second Green Jacket before the tournament started, it would seem silly to abandon the American now he is firmly in the frame.
But if you are coming into the market fresh, you are going to pay a premium to back the man with the formidable Masters record.
Remember, he is still two shots adrift of Rose and Garcia, but he’s only just behind the Englishman at the top of the market.
Garcia’s price of 5/1 could be a steal if you believe his game can stand up to the strain of another major battle. Sergio has a reputation for being a bit flaky in these situations but is that really the case?
He’s bowed before Tiger but only a massive piece of bad luck prevented him from claiming Open glory at Carnoustie in 2007 and he pushed Rory McIlroy all the way at Hoylake in 2014.
The Spaniard got a huge slice of luck at the 13th in the third round on Saturday, when his ball stayed up rather than find Rae’s Creek.
It’s the kind of fortune he’s bemoaned others of having. Maybe this is finally his time.
Rose was hugely impressive in the third round and, when in contention at Augusta, has usually delivered the goods. Four times in the last six years, he has recorded a round of 70 or less on the last day.
His score of 274 in 2015, when Spieth won in dominating fashion, would surely have been good enough most other years.
Rose’s putting might be an Achilles Heel occasionally but you can’t argue the Olympic champion doesn’t know how to win.
Rickie Fowler’s woes in Houston last week, when he threw away his title-winning chances at the very start, may be fresh in his mind. I’d prefer, at the price, to back one of the other leading contenders.
Of the outsiders, I don’t think Adam Scott is without hope at 12/1. He has looked very good since following up an opening 75 in the wind with successive 69s.
Three off the pace now, that number was good enough to win in 2013. It might be again.
I was keen on Ryan Moore before play got under way at 200/1. Now he’s right up there, I still think 14s might be a bit too big.
He dealt well with the pressure at both the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup and he might just fly under the radar and hit the front late on.
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
